Transmission fluid change via multiple drain and fills?

02FailBlazer

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Joined
Aug 8, 2025
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Want to replace my transmission fluid, looking for an optimal method. If I bought a transmission pan with a drain plug, could I just do the following -
  1. Drop pan, replace filter, bolt on new pan with drain plug
  2. Top up fluid, idle engine in gear for a few minutes to circulate fluid, drain via drain plug
  3. Repeat step 2 until fluid is clear and of appropriate color
  4. Allow transmission to fully cool, top up to cold fill line
Is this fine to do? I'm aware of the cooler line method but it makes me a little nervous. Guess I could always stop earlier than necessary and top up, then repeat until the fluid is clear and red?
 
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Reactions: movietvet
You can do it either way, that makes you feel good about it. How many total miles and miles since last filter/fluid change?
 
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Reactions: Mooseman
That way or a little quicker this way:


or

 
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Reactions: movietvet
You can do it either way, that makes you feel good about it. How many total miles and miles since last filter/fluid change?

I've put about 35K miles on it since I've owned it and have no idea what the previous owner did. Never done a fluid/filter change on it myself.
 
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Reactions: movietvet
That way or a little quicker this way:


or


The first video is the cooler line method I mentioned - am I overestimating the risk involved in doing that? Just makes me nervous that I could accidentally run it dry for too long and blow something up. If it is fairly safe to do it that way then that's probably what I'll do.
 
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Reactions: movietvet

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